


I'll Learn to Fly upon the Soil of your Deathbed

by paradoxicalconverse



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, HSAU, High School AU, More characters/relationships/tags to be added, Other, Sky High AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-04-08 15:02:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4309752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxicalconverse/pseuds/paradoxicalconverse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sort-of-based-off-of-Sky-High-AU (aka the High School AU where everyone has a super power)</p><p>Your typical HSAU, with one exception: everyone has a super power.</p><p>(I struggle with summaries. Bear with me.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Partners

**Author's Note:**

> There is no set schedule for updates. They'll happen when they happen. I'm currently working on several other Hollstein fics at the moment, so don't expect and update for at least a couple days. ALSO: Title, Relationships, Characters, Additional Tags, and number of chapters WILL change as the story progresses. I'm going off of a rough estimate. ALSO: Chapters will vary in length. Some will be short, some will be long. This isn't terribly organized. Alas.
> 
> tumblr: please-say-nine.tumblr.com (100% open to fic prompts over there, as well.)
> 
> another cool tumblr to check out (she's also carmilla trash and helping me come up with the plot to this story): bisexualhuffelpuff.tumblr.com

“Carmilla Karnstein, Laura Hollis.”

Laura’s head whipped up from the desk she’d been half-asleep on, heart immediately beginning to thump hurriedly in her chest as the name linked to hers registered. There was no way. There was _no way that she had been paired with Carmilla Karnstein. No. Freaking. Way._

She gulped, eyes immediately beginning to scan the room for the older girl. Of course, Carmilla hadn’t even bothered to look up from her book, probably hadn’t even heard her name called at all.

 _Carmilla Karnstein. Of all the people I could’ve been partnered up with._ Laura worried her lower lip with her teeth, pulse accelerating. She’d never exchanged a single word with Carmilla a day in her life, and now she was supposed to spend half of a semester working on a project with her?

Laura Hollis, paired with the school’s most infamous badass.

No. Way.

Carmilla was— _Carmilla._

Every student at Silas High was graced with one power; Danny Lawrence, varsity basketball-softball-tennis-golf-you-name-it player, could control her physical appearance at any time, including height. Kirsch had the uncanny ability to shift into a dog whenever he chose, often showing up to class as a massive German shepherd instead of an actual person. Laura…was still working on discovering where she fit onto the power spectrum.

Carmilla, however, hadn’t been graced with one power. She’d been graced with _three_ , which simultaneously made her the most respected and feared part of the student body. That, and her parents had been feared super-villains in their age, but had mysteriously fallen from the charts a few years ago. Their infamous legacy, however, remained alive and thriving in their daughter.

Her broody attitude didn’t exactly attest to the fact her record was scot-free, either. She’d never been convicted of anything, though her several powers, attitude in general, and not-so-stellar parents made her an outcast.

Laura Hollis had been in love with her since their freshman year of high school.

“Was everyone assigned to a partner?” Ms. Claus glanced around, waiting for any objections before nodding astutely. “Good. The project is due in two months. You’ll have class time to work with your partner, although if you want anything higher than a C+ overall, I expect you to be spending time outside of class as well. You have the last few minutes of class to begin planning.”

Carmilla had made no indication whatsoever that she’d heard her name called, or that single one of Ms. Claus’s words had filtered through her mind. With only a few minutes left of class, groups began pairing off. Laura uneasily picked herself from her seat, hesitantly making her way over towards Carmilla before gently sliding into the chair next to her.

Carmilla’s eye-line never left the book. No acknowledgement whatsoever that anyone had seated themself beside her.

“Hey,” Laura squeaked after a moment. It was another two minutes before Carmilla sighed in exasperation, dog-earing her book and shoving into a nearly empty backpack on the floor beside her desk.

“I was reading.”

Laura nodded earnestly, eyes wide, before words began to tumble from her mouth, only half making sense. “I know. Sorry. But we were assigned for the project and I didn’t know if you heard that because it looked like you were reading when Ms. Claus partnered us together so I thought I should maybe come introduce myself being that we’ve never actually talked before even though we’re in a few of the same classes and—”

Carmilla’s raised eyebrows and unamused facial expression was enough indication for Laura to clamp her mouth shut and nod. “So yeah. I’m Laura. In case you didn’t know.”

“I knew, cutie. You sit behind me in English.”

 _She knows that?_ Laura nearly shook her head in disbelief. _I hadn’t even realized. She’s always reading._ “Yeah, I do. I didn’t think you knew that.”

Carmilla raised her chin in a way Laura could only describe as defiant. “I read a lot, but it doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention.”

The tiny girl nodded earnestly. “Sure. Um, we should start talking about the project, maybe?”

Carmilla hefted her book bag onto the desk with one arm, slim bicep muscle defined underneath the rolled sleeve of a checkered red and black flannel. Laura forced herself to look away. “Or I could go get lunch, because class is almost over.”

Laura nodded again and almost found herself tripping over her next words. “Yeah, definitely. But, um, maybe we should exchange phone numbers or something. You know, so we can text each other. About the, um, the project. I want a better grade than a C. I know that you probably don’t care, but—”

“What?” Carmilla almost looked alarmed as she glanced up from her book bag. “What was that?”

“Oh.” Laura blushed dark red. “We don’t have to exchange phone numbers right now—it was just an idea so we could get started early and—”

“No, what you said after that. You—you think I don’t care about the grade we get on this?”

“Well.” Laura twisted her hands uneasily, face burning an even deeper flame. “I just figured it didn’t matter to you very much, because you’re always reading in class and it never looks like you’re paying attention, I just figured that you didn’t really care and I don’t know I didn’t mean to offend you or anything.”

Carmilla shook her head slowly. “God, can I ever catch a break?” she murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose. She inhaled deeply for a moment. “Look, cutie—I care, okay? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some highly important reading to catch up on. We can exchange numbers tomorrow or something.”

Laura’s head bobbed again. “Tomorrow. Definitely. Do you want me to get started on it tonight?”

“I really don’t care what you do, cupcake. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She hefted the flimsy backpack over her shoulders and lost herself in the crowd of students filing from classrooms, vanishing before Laura could even utter another word.

 _Carmilla Karnstein_. Laura shook her head as she made her way back to her desk through a now nearly empty classroom, placing her pencils into her backpack and nearly falling over backwards as the heavy weight from the book bag messed with her balance. _Of all people,_ why _did I have to be paired with her?_

Freshman year had been two years ago—there was no reason that Laura Hollis should still be falling for Silas High’s resident badass. And yet, there was something alluring about her. Broodiness, maybe? The cloud of mystery that seemed to follow her wherever she went?

Maybe it was the leather pants. That had to have been at least part of it.

“Hey, Hollis, you going to the game tonight?”

Laura glanced over her shoulder, head tilting back a bit to lock eyes with Danny Lawrence. Danny was tall by nature, a few inches over six feet (without modifying her height at all), standing a solid foot over the tinier girl. “Oh, I completely forgot about that—I don’t think so. My dad wanted me to have dinner with him because I haven’t seen him much lately.” At the sight of Danny’s face beginning to fall, Laura added on a cheerful, “Maybe next time, though!”

“Yeah, next time. Holding you to it, Hollis.”

“Sure,” Laura agreed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

Danny offered her a wave and bounded from the classroom, growing a few inches for better vision down the long hallway.

Laura nodded to Ms. Claus and filtered from the classroom, one thought pulsating through the back of her mind every once in a while: _Carmilla Karnstein._


	2. Renegades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell if this chapter was too slow or not . . .? It's also a few hundred words shorter than the previous chapter, although it still breaches one thousand words, have no fear. Anyways, chapter 2 of the Sky High AU, guys! (Also, I apologize about the LONG wait it took to publish this--my bad!)

_Okay, Hollis. Just do it. Just go over there and—sit down. It’s one motion. You can do it._ An anxious breath poured from Laura’s lungs as her eyes focused on Carmilla’s statue figure, book clasped in her hands and eyes tracking the page on her lap. She looked straight out of a 1950’s movie, aviator sunglasses balanced loosely against a messy wave of black curls, book propped open against her bent knee as she leaned against the back wall of the school building, red flannel waving gently in the soft breeze.

For whatever reason, Laura found her fingers itching to slide her camera from the case in her book bag.

Psyching herself up again, she bounded over and slid down the wall next to Carmilla, sitting in a much closer proximity than she had intended, knees pressing against the side of Carmilla’s thigh. “Hey,” Laura breathed, hugging her backpack to her chest as if it could protect her. To her surprise, Carmilla actually glanced up, eyebrows quirking, thumb sliding against the spine of her volume to save her place as the tome collapsed together in her lap.

“Hey.”

The tone wasn’t inviting, granted, but it wasn’t malicious either. Might as well surge forward now while the gap was open. The first thought that popped into Laura’s head pushed itself free before she had time to revise it. “So—we were partnered for the project earlier today.” _Okay, so that hadn’t gone as planned. Oops._ Mentally slapping herself, Laura shook off her nerves, waiting for a response to possibly the worst opening sentence she could have conceivably ever come up with.

“Fascinating powers of observation, cutie. You should major in journalism. It’s almost like—wait, no, it _is_ —just like I was there.” Her thumb began to push forward to reopen the book, threatening to tear Carmilla away from Laura again.

“Aren’t you ditching class? We’re in the middle of sixth,” Laura stuttered, heart leaping into her mouth as the thumb began to slide down again, allowing the spine to crinkle together and once more pulling Carmilla back into the conversation.

“Is my academic attendance any of your business, cutie?” Carmilla sat in silence for a moment before sighing, seeming as if she felt the need to assuage the state she’d left Laura in, embarrassed flush spreading through her cheeks. “It’s my off. Despite my illusive reputation of deviance that everyone around here has apparently created for me, I don’t skip. Much.”

“I—you’re right, it shouldn’t matter to me. It’s my off, too, actually. And we have half an hour left before seventh. We could start on the project in the library, if you want. Maybe get a head start so we don’t have to work on it at home as much, unless you’d rather work on it at home, because it looked like you were enjoying reading and sorry if I interrupted—”

“Cutie.” Carmilla’s hand snaked forward onto Laura’s knee, squeezing gently. The implication, although unthreatening, was clear. _Stop talking._ The nerve endings on Laura’s skin where Carmilla’s fingers grazed her began to sing, and an odd weightless feeling took hold of her body, almost as though she was floating. Her head began to spin as the feeling grew more potent, nausea threatening to creep around the corner. “Maybe we should talk this through when you can form a coherent thought.”

 _If I’m around you? Unlikely._ Carmilla speaking seemed to put a halt on the airy sensation, slamming Laura back into reality. Unable to trust her mouth after the wreck it had already pushed her into, Laura nodded, biting her lower lip to block any more words from slipping through unchecked. Carmilla’s eyes flicked down to where Laura’s teeth were worrying against her lip, pupils swelling slightly. She cleared her throat nervously, fingers dancing quietly against her own knee as she released Laura’s. “So—I’ll see you tomorrow then, cutie?”

Laura’s breath hitched in her throat at the uneasy wavering of Carmilla’s voice. _Is she—she’s not nervous, is she?_ Her head bobbed again, and still clutching her backpack to her chest like a shield, she stood, pausing for a moment until Carmilla’s eyebrow arched and she took that as her cue to clear her throat and nod astutely before leaving.

* * *

 

**LaFontaine (6:02 p.m.): Hey crushes-on-renegades, you started the project yet?**

**Laura (6:04 p.m.): i have no idea what youre talking about. and no.**

**LaF (6:04 p.m.): you so do.**

**Laura (6:05 p.m.): leave me alone.**

**Laura (6:07 p.m.): i was kidding**

**Laura (6:08 p.m.): nerd. come back.**

**Laura (6:10 p.m.): it has been six minutes since your last text i will only accept the idea that youre not responding because youre dead.**

**LaF (6:11 p.m.): Calm yourself, Hollis. I was doing you a favor.**

**Laura (6:11 p.m.): ???**

A few moments passed before Laura learned exactly what the favor was, and her heart plunged into her stomach when she did, fingers beginning to shake nervously as her phone vibrated, bearing an incoming text.

**Unknown Number (6:15 p.m.): Cutie?**

A stuttered breath stumbled from Laura’s lungs, almost as if she’d been punched in the gut. LaFontaine had given Carmilla Karnstein Laura’s phone number. _Carmilla Karnstein had Laura’s phone number_. And had _texted_ her.

The response took three tries before it was legible, nervous fingers unable to type correctly. The question of the unknown number’s identity went from _Mircalla?_ to _Arcillma?_ before the fingers, finally, by some crazy luck, were able to punch out, _Carmilla?_

**Carmilla (6:18 p.m.): Yes.**

**Laura (6:19 p.m.): okay. hi. we dont have to start the project tonight if u want.**

**Carmilla (6:19 p.m.): Who said that I texted you for the project, cutie?**

Laura’s heart dropped even further down, beginning to beat inside of her feet. Several different responses began to flit through her mind all at once. Not a single one sounded good enough to her to reply with, leaving her a shaking mess of nerves gone haywire, ghosting her fingers over her phone screen without ever typing.

**Carmilla (6:24 p.m.): you still alive, creampuff?**

**Laura (6:24 p.m.): laura.**

**Carmilla (6:25 p.m.): whatever you say, sundance. I’ll see you in Claus’s tomorrow.**

Laura’s heart plunged through the floor at the thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lemme know in the comments below? maybe a kudos would be cool if you liked it? 
> 
> tumblr: please-say-nine.tumblr.com
> 
> tumblr of the incredibly awesome person who is helping with the plot of the story (who you should definitely check out, because to say I figured out the plot of this story by myself would be inaccurate): bisexualhuffelpuff.tumblr.com


	3. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually have a slight idea for chapter 4! so expect that soon, maybe!

A day and a half later found Laura and Carmilla slumped against the desk and on the bed of Laura’s room, respectively, Carmilla’s fingers flying at unnatural speeds across the computer keyboard and the other huffing angrily at the point-two sentences she’d been able to write to contribute to the project so far. If Carmilla seemed to mind, however, she didn’t show it.

To her credit, her mind _had_ been consumed with ~~something~~ someone else that was making it hard to focus.

Her foot bounced anxiously against the floor as her mind raced to think of ways to start the conversation she’d been planning out for almost half an hour. _Screw it_ , she thought, inhaling deeply, as if the air was liquid courage instead.

“So—can I ask you something?” Laura shifted nervously in her seat. After about twenty minutes of internal debate, she’d forced herself to plunge forwards. Carmilla’s fingers immediately stilled on the keyboard, spine stiffening as if the thought of being questioned made her uncomfortable.

A moment of silence hung heavily in the air between them before Carmilla visibly slumped in defeat. “If you must.”

Laura cleared her throat, hands wringing together with nerves. “I know it’s not, um, offensive or anything to ask what someone’s power is, but you’re always so closed off and I thought that maybe it would’ve been a good idea to ask you what yours are first—that is if you’re totally okay with telling me! I completely understand if it makes you uncomfortable because you have three of them instead of one and you inherited them from your parents and—” Laura found herself suddenly halting in fear when Carmilla spun, eyes flashing in rage.

“What?” Her voice, although similar to a snarl, wasn’t quite there yet; Laura had no intention of pushing her hard enough to find out what exactly that would be like.

Instead of answering, Laura squeaked.

“Listen, cutie,” Carmilla hissed, eyes so dark that telling the pupils apart from the irises was served to be an impossible task, and Laura would have almost preferred her yelling over the threatening whisper she was using now. Even halfway across a room, the underlying tone in Carmilla’s voice had Laura feeling like a cornered mouse—and Carmilla was the cat. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret that everyone should know, yet no one seems to— _I am not my parents_.”

With an angry huff, she shoved the laptop into the limp book bag by her side and slung it over her shoulder, slipping fluidly from the bed and making her way to the door. “We can work on this another time.”

“Hey!” Laura pushed herself from her seat. Her first thought was to grab Carmilla’s shoulder and spin her, but the larger part of her judgement knew how terrible of an idea that would be, so she settled with scrunching up her fingers in frustration. “Where are you going?”

“Home,” Carmilla replied tersely, hiking her backpack further up onto her shoulder and reaching for the doorknob.

“Look, Carmilla, I’m sorry! I didn’t know that it was a sensitive topic. I mean, I guess I should’ve known at least a little bit that it would’ve been. But I didn’t. I’m sorry.” The hurried amendment was enough to trap her own breath in her chest as she waited for Carmilla to react.

Carmilla froze, and Laura could’ve sworn her features softened, even microscopically. “Asking me about my powers has nothing to do with my parents, cupcake,” she murmured, resigned. “You could’ve just asked me. With _out_ bringing them into it.”

“I know that you’re not your parents. I didn’t say you were.”

“You did. Telling me that talking about my powers would’ve made me uncomfortable because they’re from them. I’m not my parents, cupcake. I never was. I just wish that everyone would realize that.” Carmilla sighed in defeat, stepping closer to the door.

“Well—hey. I do.” Laura’s voice was soft, as if she was speaking to a spooked animal, and she allowed herself a few steps in Carmilla’s direction. She could feel the mood change in the air, anger dissipating into something much warmer, though unnamed.

Carmilla pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“And besides.” Laura tried to pick up the mood again, smiling playfully. “You can’t go yet. You still haven’t told me what your powers are.”

“That, cutie, is for me to know, and you to figure out.” She laughed lightly and a slight smirk kissed her lips. “I have to keep _some_ of my secrets. Otherwise I’ll lose my air of mystery, won’t I?”

The sultry voice sent a shiver down Laura’s spine and a tingling sensation not unlike the weightless feeling she’d experienced the day before began to blossom in her toes, diffusing up her legs until her heart was pounding erratically in her ribcage, head spinning. It almost felt like she was—

“Cutie? You alright? You look sick.”

Laura shook her head, eyes blinking rapidly as the feeling cleared and left a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What? Yeah—no, I’m fine. All good.”

Carmilla’s eyebrows quirked in disbelief, but she seemed to let it go, much to Laura’s relief. _No biggie, Carm, I just may have the biggest crush on you ever, and I get light-headed whenever I’m around you. So I’m not sick, I’m just absolutely head-over-heels for you._ _The usual_. Carmilla made to go for the door again before pausing. “Your turn, cutie. What’s your gift?”

Laura knew she should play Carmilla at her own game—act flirtatiously oblivious about the whole ordeal, tell Carmilla to figure it out all on her own—but her hands gave her away before her mouth did.

In other words, her fingers were twining together. Because she was _nervous._ Carmilla’s eyes immediately flicked down to the sight and took note, grinning. “You’re nervous? Why?”

“I’m not—I’m not nervous.” The lie stumbled from between her teeth, blatantly obvious. Laura forced her hands apart and combed a lock of hair behind her ear with shaking fingers. “I just—I haven’t totally figured it out yet. My gift. I’m working on it.”

Carmilla’s eyebrows disappeared beyond her hairline. “So I guess you’ve got quite a few powers to figure out, then. Mine and yours.”

“Or you could just _tell_ me yours, because having to figure out one is frustrating enough, and now I have to figure out _four_.” Laura huffed in annoyance, folding her arms, and Carmilla grinned.

“Not happening, cutie. You’re figuring them out all on your own.”

“What if you don’t know yours either, and you’re acting all cool and disaffected when really you’re just as unknowing as I am?” Anything to keep the conversation alive, keep Carmilla close to her. She smelled like ink and old pages, a scent Laura found intoxicating in all the best ways.

“As much as you’d like to believe that, I know what they are. Let me know when you do as well, okay, cutie?” With that, Carmilla allowed Laura a wink and let herself to slip through the door and disappear down the hallway, front door creaking to alert Laura of her exit.

Only the sound of the heavy oaken door slamming shut snapped Laura out of her reverie. She was almost positive— _Carmilla Karnstein had just flirted with her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: please-say-nine.tumblr.com
> 
> another awesome tumblr to check out: bisexualhuffelpuff.tumblr.com


	4. Hints

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REALLLLLYYYYYYY short chapter this time. I apologize. But my old friend writer's block decided to show up and the visit was unavoidable. So. Sorry about that. Anyways. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. Also the word boner is in there a few times in case you guys care.

 And so it began.

Subtle hints at first—Laura was determined to squeeze Carmilla’s powers out of her somehow, and if the renegade wasn’t going to tell her herself, then she was going to take matters into her own hands.

A bit of spilled water on Carmilla’s desk had Laura hiding behind her book at her own, four rows back and to the right, with Carmilla noticing the patch and grunting in frustration. “Cute, cupcake. Water magic isn’t it, though.” Her lean figure made its way back to Laura’s desk, leaning curiously far over to rest her elbows on the table, hands propping up her head as she blinked. Black curls spilled over her fingers, lips puffed out in a pseudo-pout, eyelids lowered halfway over cobalt irises.

Laura’s lungs decided that they no longer knew how to work.

“Now, I’d advise you go clean that up from my desk before class starts. Wouldn’t want to be holding everyone up if the water was still there and we didn’t have enough time to work on the project.”

“Or what?” It was hardly more than a squeak, but it was enough for a smirk to kiss Carmilla’s lips as she laughed.

“Trust me, cutie, you really don’t want to go there with me. That water isn’t going to clean itself up. You’re going to.” She lifted her head from her hands and clapped them together, winking at Laura as she turned and made her way back to her own desk.

Laura’s fingers flexed in frustration as her heart and lungs began to throb.

* * *

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Carmilla gripped the paper tightly, worrying at the frail substance between her fingers until pen ink had smeared over her hands and smudged the writing. “I got a C. There was no way this paper deserved a C. Minus, of anything! This was worthy of an A! What the frilly hell?”

“Would you relax?” LaFontaine tossed a grape into the air, catching it with their mouth and grinning at the tiny achievement. “Your grade in English isn’t going to pull a titanic. What did it lower? Half a percent? A quarter?”

Carmilla’s squinted eyes and quirked mouth was answer enough, and LaF shrugged, grinning. “C’mon, Karnstein. Lighten up! What’s gotten into you recently?” Their voice went serious. “You’ve been acting weird lately, actually.”

“I haven’t. I’ve just—there’s a lot on my mind right now, okay?” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to relieve some of the pressure behind her eyes.

“It’s Hollis, isn’t it? She’s making you all jittery all the time.”

Carmilla’s eyes flew open, hands smacking the table in front of her. “What? Where the hell did that come from?”

“But you’re not denying it, Karnstein. I knew it!” LaF grinned gleefully, fiddling with their phone as they punched out a response to Perry, LaF’s ~~girlfriend~~ best friend. “Ever since I gave you her number you’ve been acting all weird. Perr’s gonna come over soon. Just so you know.”

“So that’s my cue to leave, then.” Carmilla hoisted her backpack over her shoulder, wriggling her arms through the straps. _Please don’t change the subject back to Laura._

“What—hey, no! You should stay.” They tugged lightly on the flannel tied around Carmilla’s waist, frowning at the snort they received in response.

“And _feel_ the sexual tension in the air as you two try not to jump each other? No, thank you. Give it up, LaF, everyone knows you’ve got a huge nonbinary boner for her. Make a move! Preferably when I’m not around.” Carmilla made a start for the door as LaF frowned.

“Nonbinary boner? Really?”

Carmilla shrugged, refusing to allow a slight grin from showing. “I was gonna say lady boner, but that doesn’t really apply to you.”

The door shut on LaFontaine’s frown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: please-say-nine.tumblr.com  
> other cool tumblrs to check out: bisexualhuffelpuff.tumblr.com  
> iwontletyouhurther.tumblr.com  
> COMMENTING HELPS!


	5. Bookbags

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! long time no update...my bad! however, as I'm now in my junior year of high school, its kinda hectic. so updates probably won't happen all that often, but I'll do what I can!

The black backpack strap dug angrily into Carmilla’s shoulder, striations raising against either side of the cloth, imprinting angrily against her pale skin. Nerves forced her to focus on nothing other than her raised fist, poised to knock against the solid wooden door, anxiety shaking her down to the core.

She’d been to Laura’s house once before to work on the project, which in turn had simply been her typing away furiously at a laptop and Laura staring at the wall for twenty minutes instead. Which had then ended in Carmilla nearly losing her temper.

The nerves decided to skyrocket.

She rapped her knuckles against the door before she chickened out, clenching her fingers into a fist to subdue the shaking.

There was a thump on the other end of the door as Laura presumably slid into it, an exclamation of discomfort, and the clicking of the lock disengaging. It swung wide and a flash of caramel hair had Carmilla’s pulse kickstarting into action.

“Hey,” Laura breathed, slithering from around the back of the door and grinning gently. “You’re here.”

“Once again, you astonish me with your observational powers, cupcake. Consider my mind blown.” Carmilla allowed herself to step inside, the backpack hitting the floor with an angry thump as books collided with hardwood.  

Laura frowned, the tips of her mouth quivering as though she were trying to hide a smile. “You don’t have to be so arrogant all the time, you know.”

“Why not?” Her heart fluttered in her chest at the slight hitch in Laura’s chest when she smirked. “It’s half of the fun. Are we going to do this project or what?”

“It would’ve been nice if you’d let me know you were coming over. Not, you know, five minutes before you were coming over.” Carmilla had to chew on a lip to keep herself from grinning at Laura’s attempt at acting tough, arms crossed over her chest and a huff of frustration puffing her cheeks.

“As if you’re not elated to see me.” Carmilla offered her a wink, reveling in the miniscule hitch of Laura’s breath. “Your room?”

“I’m getting a snack. I’ll meet you there in a minute.”

* * *

**  
**

**Laura (11:23 p.m.): u left ur bookbag here.**

**Carmilla (11:37 p.m.): unfortunate.**

**Laura (11:38 p.m.): don’t u want it for tomorrow?**

**Carmilla (11:40 p.m.): must I retrieve it?**

**Laura (11:40 p.m.): yes. come rid my home of its presence before i burn it.**

**Carmilla (11:41 p.m.): are you sure this isn’t some ploy just to see me again today?**

**Laura (11:43 p.m.): that’s it. i’m burning it.**

**Carmilla (11:44 p.m.): no you aren’t.**

**Carmilla (11:46 p.m.): creampuff I swear.**

**Carmilla (11:49 p.m.): I’m coming over. so help me if I find ashes.**

* * *

**  
**

The engine of the red ‘56 Nova stuttered angrily, heaving in protest as Carmilla pressed gently on the brakes, pulling in front of Laura’s house. The thing had been threatening to give for several years now, but had still managed to steal another few thousand miles off of the engine. It didn’t run smoothly, but it ran well enough to get around.

Carmilla loved it.

“The things I do for you, cutie,” she murmured, stuffing the car keys into her pocket and readjusting the beanie on her head before jiggling the car door for a moment before it unpopped and opened, squealing in protest. “Yeah, I know, big guy. I’ll be back in a minute.”

The car seemed to huff in annoyance as a plume of warm air blew from underneath the hood.

* * *

**  
**

“You’re here,” Laura whispered, eyes wide in surprise.

“This time I actually texted you that I was coming. Don’t look too shocked.”

“I’m not, I just...does your mom know you’re here?” Laura regretted the words the instant they left her mouth.

Carmilla’s spine visibly stiffened. “I don’t really think my mom gives a damn where I am.”

“I didn’t--I mean--I didn’t mean to bring that up like that. I’m sorry.”

“What about you, then? Does your dad know I’m here?”

Laura frowned and opened the door a little wider, eyes straining to make out the face in front of her. “Why do you think I’m whispering?” Carmilla’s eyebrows quirked, the corners of her lips raising in a smirk. “Do you want me to go grab your bookbag?”

“Would I have come here for any other reason?”

Laura’s mouth bobbed for a moment before shrugging and disappearing back into the house, returning a minute later and toting the sack in hand. Slim bicep muscles strained under the weight of several textbooks, and Carmilla found her eyes drawn to the definition of her arms.

Laura cleared her throat and Carmilla blinked. “Were you going to stare at it or actually take it from me?”

Carmilla laughed self-consciously before hoisting it into her own grip and letting it pat the front of her thighs. “You’ve got some muscle hiding there, cupcake,” she noted, hoping her voice carried off as nonchalant. “Didn’t think you’d be able to lift that bag with one arm.”

Laura smiled nervously. “My dad put me in Krav Maga when I was eight. Self-defense, you know, and I just sorta stuck with it.”

“Eight years ago? You’ve got to be pretty lethal by now.”

Her shoulders bobbed, caramel hair sliding over the expanse of bare skin. “I guess.”

A moment of silence between the two seemed to stretch on forever, entangling in Carmilla’s throat. “So--I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Laura cleared her throat anxiously. “Yeah, I, um, yeah, I guess. And I guess mindreading isn’t one of your powers, then.”

“And why would you say that?” A strain of arrogance unsurfaced, beginning to bleed back into her words.

“Because.” Laura grinned, and Carmilla could’ve sworn that lightning had somehow struck the earth when she did. “I’d have known if you had.”

“Care to enlighten me on what you were thinking?”

“Hmm.” Laura’s grin turned into a sigh, portraying obvious false irritation. “Perhaps not. Goodnight, Carm.”

“Cutie.”

“We can work on the project during our off, alright? Drive safe.” The door swung closed on silent hinges, leaving Carmilla to trot back to her car and wonder exactly what Laura had been thinking.

****  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, sorry about the wait!  
> lemme know in the comments below?  
> tumblr: please-say-nine.tumblr.com  
> another cool tumblr to check out: bisexualhuffelpuff.tumblr.com


	6. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO TERRIBLY SORRY THAT I AM THE WORST

“Flying!” Laura slammed her hands down onto Carmilla’s desk the following morning.

“What the frilly hell!” 

Laura giggled and took a step back, allowing Carmilla room to breathe and collect herself. “Flying. That’s one of them. You can fly.” 

Carmilla’s frame visibly loosened as she slumped forwards, shoulders hunching. “Jesus, cutie. You can’t do that to me.”

Laura, unperturbed, grabbed Carmilla’s hands and shook them eagerly, beaming. “You can fly! That’s one of your powers!” Her face turned a brilliant shade of red as she slowly slid her fingers from Carmilla’s grip. 

“And how do you figure that, cupcake?”

“The bus. You don’t ride the bus to school. I sit in the front and talk to Mr. Wilson about his dogs every morning on the ride to the school, and I’ve never seen you get in.” Laura’s smile had grown a mile wide and Carmilla found herself fixated on it.

“Maybe my parents drive me.” Carmilla winced as she felt the lie grate against the back of her teeth when it slipped through her lips. Laura frowned. “Okay, so my parents don’t drive me. I walk.”

“The school hovers a mile above the ground. Try again.”

Carmilla sighed and ruffled her hands through her hair. “Fine. I don’t fly, cutie. I teleport.”

“I knew it!” Laura squealed excitedly and danced back to her seat as class started. “One down, two more to go.”

“You have fun figuring those ones out, cutie.” Carmilla hid her grin behind her book as her mind resonated clearly on Laura’s smile.

* * *

 

Five hours later found Carmilla perched against the wall of her bedroom, Laura sprawled across the floor, and aura of papers surrounding her frame as she typed meticulously. “Hey.”

Laura glanced up to find Carmilla’s head cocked and eyes staring holes into her. “Yeah?”

“It’s nearly seven. You should probably get going.” Carmilla closed her laptop and jutted her chin towards Laura’s. 

“I mean, I don’t really have to be home for another hour.” She took note and Carmilla’s fingers pressing into her own thighs, foot typing anxiously against the bed, chest pounding as she breathed unsteadily. “Is everything okay?”

“You need to leave.”

“Carm?”

“Laura.” Carmilla pushed herself from the bed and began to collect papers, anxiously shoving them into Laura’s backpack. “Now. Right now. The time got away from us, and you really, really need to go.”

“My dad isn’t even going to be here for another twenty minutes--”

Her mouth slammed shut as Carmilla’s eyes widened in fear. “Twenty minutes? I guess I’m taking you home, then.” Her eyes flashed as Laura tried to protest. “I’m serious. You need to go now. Okay? I’m really sorry. We can work on it tomorrow.”

“I’ll go if you promise me everything is okay.”

“ _ Cupcake.  _ I get that you’re trying to be the hero and all, but we really don’t have time for this.” Carmilla spun Laura to face her and pushed, Laura shrieking in surprise as she collided angrily with the wall behind her. Obsidian eyes widened as Carmilla realized the close proximity she had landed Laura and herself into, having shoved Laura up against a wall. “I so meant to push you through the door.” It was a meager attempt for a strong voice, wavering and thin. 

“You missed,” Laura whispered, eyes darting to Carmilla’s lips and back. Her own tongue poked out and dabbed gently against her own momentarily. 

Leather-clad legs shook violently as they stepped backwards, granting Laura freedom from her confines. “You should go, cutie. I’ll drive you home”

Laura nodded, pupils blown wide enough that they nearly swallowed her irises completely. “I can--I can walk.”

“You sure?”

Laura’s nod was the rock that sunk Carmilla’s heart into the pit of her stomach. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr still remains as please-say-nine.tumblr.com


End file.
